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Community Builders

Jewish Business and Organizations of Greater Boston

Demonstration on behalf of Soviet Jewry

From the Records of the Jewish Community Relations Council, I-123

Morris Winer's Dairy Store

M. Winer’s store on Salem Street in the North End, c. 1900.

Economy Grocery Store

An Economy Grocery Store, undated. From the Rabb Family Papers, P-679

Demonstration on behalf of Soviet Jewry, Jewish Community Relations Council

To address community concerns surrounding the increase in anti-Semitic attacks in primarily Jewish neighborhoods, the Associated Jewish Philanthropies organized an interim committee in 1938 to examine interfaith cooperation in Boston. After this committee dissipated, Associated Jewish Philanthropies organized the Central Advisory Committee during World War II. This committee established the Jewish Community Council of Metropolitan Boston in 1949. The Council was comprised of representatives from central Jewish organizations in the area, and continually modified its goals and purpose to reflect the changing political and economic landscape. Throughout the 1970s-1990s, the Council focused on the plight of Soviet Jewry, educating and connecting local Jews to Soviet Jews trying to leave Communist Russia for resettlement in Israel. Most Soviet Jews in contact with the Boston Council had relatives and friends held in the Soviet prison system. Many of these people were writers, scientists and teachers.

Morris Winer's Dairy Store, Salem Street

On Salem Street, in Boston’s North End neighborhood, Morris Winer operated a single small store specializing in fresh dairy products. Established initially as M. Winer Company in 1895, business operations expanded to include several self-service stores, though it continued to focus primarily on dairy and delicatessen. The company was incorporated under Commonwealth of Massachusetts laws as Elm Farm Foods Company on March 29, 1928.

Economy Grocery Store (Stop & Shop Supermarkets)

Jacob and Julius Rabinovitz started the Economy Grocery Stores Company, also known as Ecco or “the Green Front Stores.” In 1925, the Economy Grocery Stores incorporated and issued its first shares of stock. The company grew rapidly from the 1920s to the mid-1930s, opening new stores and acquiring existing stores and chains. The acquired stores included the Rose T. Company and the Creamery Stores (renamed Rabinovitz Creameries). Economy opened its first self-service supermarket in 1935 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, under the name R.H. White Food Mart. Noting the store's success, Economy began opening more supermarkets under the name Stop & Shop. The company gradually closed the Economy stores and in 1946 the company was renamed Stop & Shop, Inc.